Police hiring in Coast marred by corruption, report reveals

A youth during police recruitment at Bukhungu Stadium in Kakamega, on November 17, 2025. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

A report by a civil society organisation has revealed corruption and systemic weaknesses in police recruitment in the Coast region.

The report by Human Rights Agenda (Huria) revealed persistent non-compliance with constitutional standards, statutory procedures, and judicial directives governing public recruitment.

Huria, which deployed observers to 10 out of 21 recruitment centres across the Coast region, said the recruitment carried out in November 2025 was marred by weak accountability and significant deviations from the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) Regulations, 2015

In the report, Huria Executive Director Yusuf Lule Mwatsefu stated that field observations in Kwale, Kilifi, and Mombasa counties confirmed the failures highlighted in past petitions, and oversight remained largely unaddressed.

"Even in the presence of well-trained observers, the process revealed systemic deficiencies that undermine fairness, transparency, and public trust in the National Police Service (NPS)," he notes

The report titled ''Policing the Police: Safeguarding Transparency and Merit in Kenya's Recruitment Process''.

The report revealed panel composition failures, particularly the systemic absence of education officers despite consistent criticism in litigation and independent reports.

"This year, the gap directly contributed to academic fraud, including a documented incident involving forged certificates at the Vigurungani/Kinango recruitment centre.

"Independent observers have historically noted that the absence of technical experts not only undermines the authenticity of academic vetting but also exposes panels to manipulation and undue influence. The 2025 recruitment confirmed the persistence of this risk," says the report.

It said the oath of integrity, emphasised by courts and oversight bodies as a critical governance tool, was administered in two out of the 10 observed recruitment centres.

"The majority of the centres proceeded without taking the oath," the report adds.

It was observed that gaps in integrity safeguards coincided with renewed allegations of bribery. "Predictably, the gaps in integrity safeguards coincided with renewed allegations of bribery, the presence of brokers near recruitment grounds, suspicious interactions involving panel members, and apparent attempts to reintroduce disqualified candidates," Mwatsefu said.

Huria also reported apparent attempts to reintroduce disqualified candidates, demonstrating how weak safeguards enable manipulation of the recruitment process.

The report noted that at Vigurungani recruitment centre, candidates were explicitly removed because members of their ethnic group were too many, a practice that violated Article 27 of the Constitution.

In Msambweni Sub-County recruitment centre, Huria noted a case where a successful candidate's selection was reversed without documentation, explanation, or an opportunity for appeal.

"Courts have repeatedly ruled that recruitment decisions must be accompanied by clear reasons and proper documentation, yet this principle remains unimplemented," says the report.

It noted that the ability to alter decisions arbitrarily undermines the rule of law in public recruitment.

The report indicated that there were no complaint desks, registers, or formal avenues for appeal in the recruitment centres.
Huria observed that centres abandoned the official online system without formal authorisation or documented justification, and Inspector-General-issued forms were introduced, directly contradicting the NPSC's prescribed procedures.

The observers noted that candidates were forced to print documents at their own cost, violating explicit regulations prohibiting financial burdens on applicants.

The report called for structural reform within the NPSC's planning, oversight, and enforcement mechanisms to align practice with constitutional standards and restore public confidence.

Huria told the NPS to adopt context-sensitive height and weight in the recruitment process, as the current uniform thresholds exclude some communities.